Renting Baby Gear: Why It Beats Buying New or Second-Hand
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When you find out you're expecting - or preparing to welcome a new child - the list of equipment you're told you need can feel endless. A buggy. A bouncer. A next-to-me cot. A breast pump. A baby bath. A carrier. Most parents default to one of two options: they buy everything new, or they spend weeks trawling second-hand marketplaces looking for a bargain.
But there's a third option that most families simply don't know exists. And for many of them, it's the one that makes the most sense.
Renting.
The problem with buying second-hand
Second-hand baby gear is an appealing idea on paper. And we absolutely applaud not buying new. It's cheaper, it feels sustainable, and there's plenty of it available. But it comes with risks that are easy to underestimate.
Safety standards for baby equipment are updated regularly. A cot, buggy, or bouncer that was compliant when it was first sold may no longer meet current guidelines. Without a full check, you can't know whether a piece of equipment has been looked after properly, stored badly, or worn in ways that aren't immediately visible. Most parents know not to buy a second-hand car seat for this reason (and why we don’t rent them!). But the same logic applies more broadly than many people realise.
There's also the time it takes. Finding the right items, checking listings, arranging collection, cleaning everything when it arrives - that's a significant investment of time and energy, particularly during a pregnancy or the weeks just after a new child arrives.
And then there's the hygiene question. Buying from an unknown source means accepting uncertainty about how equipment has been stored and maintained. For some families, that uncertainty is fine. For others, it isn't.
The problem with buying new
Buying new removes the uncertainty - but it creates a different set of problems.
The cost is the obvious one. New parents in the UK spend an average of £6,000 on baby equipment in the first year. A significant portion of that goes on items with a surprisingly short useful life. A next-to-me cot is typically needed for around six months. A bouncer may hold a baby's interest for three or four months before they're ready to move on. A breast pump's usefulness depends entirely on a feeding journey that can't be predicted in advance.
And once those phases are over, you're left with the question of what to do with it all. Selling takes time. Storing takes space. Neither is easy when you're in the thick of early parenthood.
Why renting makes more sense
Renting sidesteps both sets of problems - and adds benefits of its own.
Cost. You pay for the window you actually need, and nothing more. Renting key items rather than buying them new can save families hundreds of pounds over the first year, without any reduction in quality.
Safety and cleanliness. Reputable rental services check and maintain equipment between every use. You know exactly what you're getting - no unknown history, no guesswork.
Flexibility. Babies change quickly, and so do circumstances. If something doesn't work for your child, it can be swapped. If your needs change, the rental can change with them. Buying locks you in. Renting keeps your options open.
Time. Equipment arrives ready to use and is collected when you're done. No sourcing, no assembling, no reselling.
Less clutter. When a phase is over, the equipment leaves. The house doesn't gradually fill with outgrown items waiting to be dealt with.
Less confusion. The baby product market is enormous and designed to sell you as much as possible. A curated rental range of the items families actually use cuts through that noise and makes the decision much simpler.
What you can rent
At Merry Go Round Club, we offer monthly and short-term rentals of the products families rely on most in the early years: buggies, bouncers, baby baths, breast pumps, carriers, and next-to-me cots. Delivery and collection are included as standard.
Each product covers a specific window of need. That's the point. You're not buying a collection of equipment you'll need to manage for years - you're getting exactly what's useful right now, for as long as it's useful.
We source our equipment carefully, and every item is checked and maintained between uses. We're also a member of Switch2Zero, because sustainability isn't just about avoiding landfill - it's about measuring and reducing our impact in a meaningful way.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to rent baby gear? Yes - renting from a reputable service is often safer than buying second-hand. Equipment is checked and maintained between each use, so there's no uncertainty about its history or condition.
Is renting baby equipment cheaper than buying? For most families, yes. Because baby equipment has such a short useful life, renting only for the window you need typically saves hundreds of pounds compared to buying new - with no resale hassle at the end.
What if I'm not sure how long I'll need something? That's exactly what rental is designed for. You can adjust or extend as you go - you're not locked into anything.
What if my baby doesn't take to a piece of equipment? It happens - and it's one of the most common reasons families end up with expensive items going unused. Renting removes that financial risk.
Rental won't be right for every family in every situation. But for parents who want good kit without the full financial commitment, the clutter, or the hassle - it's an option that's well worth knowing about.
As we always say.. "Babies Don't Have to Cost the Earth"